F I R S TP R E V712NEXTLAST

Fire Chief's Mansion, Bush Street
One of the great perks of being San Francisco's Fire Chief, besides the Dalmatian and cool helmet, is that you get to live in the Chief's Mansion located in the ceremonial old fire house on Bush Street near downtown. However, the current Fire Chief, Joanne Hayes-White was the first chief in the last 100 years who chose not to live in the fire house. With the residence empty the city decided to let newly-appointed Planning Department Director John Rahaim live in the building temporarily. What could possibly go wrong with that?

A lot apparently, last weekend the new director's boyfriend trashed the residence, allegedly breaking some antique furniture, smearing crushed tomatoes on the walls, and setting a mattress on fire. Damage estimates for the fire house range from $25,000 to $100,000. The director's boyfriend was arrested later that day on a DUI in San Mateo County. The front of the fire station features a large bronze plaque honoring Fire Chief Dennis Sullivan who died during the Great Earthquake and Fire of 1906. One wonders what the old chief would think of the whole affair.
[ MAP F-15 ]